Lace Collection

date made
1850-1860
maker
unknown
Description
This large triangular lace shawl was made in Brussels point de gaze needle lace. The overall design has fine naturalistic floral motifs with a few sections of the common bold, tightly buttonholed wheels. It shows a very fine overall pattern and execution. It was made in Belgium of fine cotton thread in about the 1850's
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1830-1845
maker
unknown
Description
This flounce of stylized floral motifs is executed in Blonde bobbin lace. The flounce is made of cream colored silk thread in three sizes. The ground is point ground, with the motifs made in dense linen stitches and lighter half stitches outlined with a heavy gimp thread. Honeycomb ground is used as decorative fillings. The flounce is edged with a narrow machine made picot edge on both sides.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1900-1910
designer
Melville & Ziffer
maker
Melville & Ziffer
Description
This needle lace table runner illustrates scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry. Scenes before, during and after the Battle of Hastings, England, in 1066 between Harold and William the Conqueror are depicted along the sides and ends of this nine meter long cloth. It might have been commissioned for the banquet table in one of the numerous grand mansions built in the USA early in the 1900’s. The Melville and Ziffer lace workshop in Le Puy, France, exhibited an almost identical table runner at the 1906 Paris World Exhibition.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1909
maker
Verporte, Edy
Description
This cotton, point de gaze style, needle lace medallion was made to commemorate the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 1909 held in Seattle, Washington. The lace was designed and made by Eduord Marie Verpoorten (Edy Verporte) a native of Belgium, living in Spokane. The medallion depicts the official seal of the exposition. One of the three women is holding a steamship carrying goods from the Orient, another is holding gold from Alaska and the third holds a locomotive bringing wealth to the American Continent. Mrs. Verpoorten was awarded the Grand Prize for her lace.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 18th century
maker
unknown
Description
This fragment of a very fine linen bobbin lace flounce includes figures of humans, angels and vases. From the early 18th century, it is grounded with bobbin lace braids with picots that are carried across the back of motifs, indicating a Brussels origin. It has been pieced together at a later date.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
maker
unknown
Description
This set is a pattern of Valenciennes square mesh bobbin lace and a sample made from it. The pattern is drawn with ink (?) on parchment and appears to have been used as the pricking. Suggestions for working the pattern are written in French: "Laisser le bas. Claircir (?) les deux cercles. Laisser plus de jeu aux boules. Former le petit medaillon, le haut moins regulier". Extra threads are added to motifs and cut off. The design (no. 554) and sample for this 19th Century Brussels lace were purchased from G. Moens, Brussels, in 1921.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 17th century
maker
unknown
Description
This panel is embellished with bobbin lace and silk embroidery. The woven center is decorated with embroidery, drawn thread work and needle weaving. It is bordered with gold and silver (?) bobbin lace insertions and edging. The lace is worked with threads made of strips of metal foil wrapped around an un-spun silk core in an S-twist, indicating 17th century. The salmon colored satin stitch silk embroidery alternates with the same geometric motif in gold foil wrapped silk thread. There is a tassel in one corner and the remnant of a tassel in the opposite corner.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1650-1700
maker
unknown
Description
This Milanese style bobbin lace border depicts Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, with her dog. It was probably made in Flanders early in the 18th century. The delicate motifs are executed with bobbin made decorated tapes in fine linen thread. The connecting mesh is decorated with regularly spaced square tallies.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1890 - 1910
maker
unknown
Description
This object is one of a pair of fine Honiton bobbin lace designs made in Japan between 1880 and 1910. The bird and floral motifs are connected with braids with picots. Exceptional workmanship is displayed. The engrelure or footing at the top is of machine made tape.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1865-1870
maker
unknown
Description
This triangular shawl is of Brussels bobbin lace appliqué over machine made net and is of very good quality. Small embellishment of needle lace enhances the mostly bobbin made floral and ribbon motifs. It was made in the 19th Century of cotton.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1665-1680
date remodeled
19th century
maker
unknown
Description
This is a very good quality flounce of Point de France [d’Argentan] needlepoint lace. It probably dates originally from the late 17th century, but was pieced and mended in the 19th century when some cordonnet was added. There is a great deal of raised work, with picots both on the edging and the interior raised work. The entire piece is 134 inches long and 13.5 inches wide and worked in fine linen thread.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1770-1810
maker
unknown
Description
This black silk bobbin lace was made in Ipswich, Massachusetts, around 1790. The thread is 2-ply, S-twist black silk. The ground is kat stitch, which is also known as Paris ground. Point ground, Cross, twist, twist, twist, is used only as a filling.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1725-1735
remodeled
late 19th century
maker
unknown
Description
This sample of Binche bobbin lace from about 1725-1735 is of fine quality. The style is sometimes called Fausse Valenciennes. The collar was fashioned from eight fragments of similar, but not identical lace in the 20th century. A newer edging has been whip stitched on.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1860-1870
maker
unknown
Description
This Black Chantilly lace lappet or scarf is a sample of early Victorian bobbin lace from about 1870. It is of good quality, but fragile. The fine black silk threads are disintegrating. The ends are of higher quality than the center section.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1580-1620
maker
unknown
Description
This panel consists of 42 alternate squares of cutwork and lacis, edged with a border of needlepoint lace. The knotted filet net is embroidered with motifs like an elephant, a goddess, a horse, a hunter, and a dragon, among others. The woven cutwork squares are embellished with geometric needlepoint insertions and surface embroidery. It was probably made in Spain or Italy in the early 17th Century.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1805-1810
commissioner
Napoleon I Emperor of France
maker
unknown
Description
Napoleonic bees decorate this Alençon needlelace collar. The bee motifs are applied to the background net, motifs of laurel wreaths adorn the outside edge. It was pieced together to make collar, probably during the third quarter of the 19th century. The collar matches the pattern on the bed set Napoleon ordered for his firstborn. The background mesh is mostly wrapped Argentan brides tortillées.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1700-1710
date repaired
1875-1925
maker
unknown
Description
This cap lappet is part of a set of Point de Venise de Reseau needle lace. The ground has been restored and the fine quality needlepoint motifs are now applied on machine made net. The lace dates originally from the early 18th century, and was remodelled in the late 19th to early 20th century. It matches the border TE.L7694 and cap back TE.L7695.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1700-1710
date repaired
1875-1925
maker
unknown
Description
This cap border is part of a set of Point de Venise de Reseau needle lace. The ground has been restored and the fine quality needlepoint motifs are now applied on cotton machine made net. It likely dates originally from the early 18th century and was remodelled in the late 19th to early 20th century. It matches lappet TE.L7693 and cap back TE.L7695.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1700-1710
date repaired
1875-1925
maker
unknown
Description
This cap crown is of Point de Venise de Reseau needle lace. The ground has been restored and the fine quality needlepoint motifs are now applied on machine made net. The lace dates originally from the early 18th century, and was remodelled in the late 19th to early 20th century. It compliments a matching lappet TE.L7693 and and border TE.L7694.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1900-1912
1904-1912
maker
Amoy Lace Guild
Description
This sample of Chinese made torchon bobbin lace edging is labeled as costing “$.60 per yard in US gold” and is made of linen. It was acquired from the Amoy Lace Guild, Amoy (Xiamen), China, through Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce in 1913. The Amoy Lace Guild was established by missionaries in 1885 as a charitable organization to provide a source of income to indigent Chinese women and children. Patterns and linen thread was imported from England and Ireland. Lace from the Amoy Lace Guild won a silver medal at the St. Louis exposition in 1904.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850-1861
maker
unknown
Description
This tatted lace collar is formed of 76 joined tatted medallions, each one inch in diameter, and is executed with two-ply cotton. Tatting is a knotting technique using one or two tatting shuttles to form rings and chains. The motifs are joined at the small loops called picots. According to the donor this was tatted before the Civil War.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
unknown
Description
This is classical Italian Cantù bobbin lace from about 1900. It is of fine quality made particularly to sell abroad. Originally apparently four placemats and two long runners, it does not have a sewing edge where the pieces are attached. It has two-dimensional animal and flower motifs made in finer thread than the rest of the lace. Animal figures are made first, starting at the outer points and working to the center. This provides neater points as well as the additional threads needed for the larger areas. It also aids in more appropriately and neatly attaching the trails.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1794
Description
This token valued at a half penny was issued by a merchant to pay his workers in 1794. The inscription reads "Pay at Leighton Berkhamsted or London - 1794" with a sheep on one side, "Lace Manufactory" and a woman making lace on a pillow under a tree on the other. "Chambers, Langston, Hall & Co” is stamped around the rim. The token could only be used at one of the merchant's stores. Chambers, Langston, Hall & Co were haberdashers at 46 Gutter Lane, Cheapside, London. This type of tokens was possibly issued due to a shortage of official small change coins in the late 18th century.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850-1875
maker
unknown
Description
This handmade black silk Chantilly bobbin lace shawl is from the third quarter of the 19th century and is in excellent condition. The large scale design with swags and great bouquets of flowers is typical of mid 19th century exuberance.
Location
Currently not on view

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